Construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc. plans to open a motor prototyping facility at a building formerly occupied by BorgWarner Inc. in Noblesville’s Innovation Mile, the city announced Tuesday.
Fort Worth, Texas-based Caterpillar will focus on the development of advanced electric motor technologies and employ approximately 25 people at 13975 Westinghouse Drive.
The 103,000-square-foot facility, fronting Interstate 69, was constructed for Michigan-based BorgWarner in 2018 for $15 million. BorgWarner closed the facility earlier this year as part of a restructuring move that relocated some employees from the Noblesville Technical Center to Kokomo.
Caterpillar plans to lease the Innovation Mile facility and acquire the existing equipment that is already on-site. The company plans to begin operations in Noblesville by the end of this year. Representatives for the company did not immediately respond to questions from IBJ regarding how much it plans to invest.
“This is exactly the type of project we envisioned when we launched Innovation Mile,” Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen said in a written statement. “Caterpillar investing in Noblesville brings together innovation, advanced manufacturing, and meaningful high-wage job creation in a way that aligns with Noblesville’s long-term vision for strategic, sustainable growth.”
City leaders have envisioned the former stretch of undeveloped agricultural land on the city’s southeast side to become a hotbed of economic development, including The Arena at Innovation Mile, which will be home this fall to the Noblesville Boom, the G League affiliate of the Indiana Pacers. The Innovation Mile economic district stretches between East 141st Street and I-69, east of Olio Road.
Caterpillar is Noblesville’s second announcement in the past week for Innovation Mile.
On Sept. 23, USA Gymnastics announced it plans to move its headquarters from Indianapolis to Noblesville as part of a new development that is expected to include office space and a training and wellness facility. Construction is expected to start by spring 2026 and conclude by the end of 2028. The USA Gymnastics facility is planned north of The Arena at Innovation Mile.
In February, the $35 million Indiana Orthopedic Institute opened at Innovation Mile. The 38,000-square-foot Indiana Orthopedic Institute building is designed for a range of orthopedic procedures focusing on hip and knee replacement.
Caterpillar is also planning a $60 million expansion of its 600,000-square-foot logistics facility in Lebanon that could bring nearly 700 new jobs to the Boone County community. Caterpillar’s project at 720 Edwards Drive in Lebanon Business Park would add about 369,360 square feet to the facility, which the company uses to pre-assemble engine parts that are shipped to Caterpillar’s Large Engine Center in Lafayette.
The Large Engine Center manufactures engines for a variety of applications, including oil and gas, electric power, marine, rail and mining.